Hello dear colleagues,
I'm French and I teach English in a Junior high school ( pupils aged 11 to 15 ). This academic year, I have a very nice class of first years ( 11/12 year-old pupils) They are 21, & I would like to find an English teacher like me (..:-))) to have a mail exchange....either letters, post-cards, minibooks ...whatever! I searched the forum here & I wrote a mail to 2 members who are looking for such an exchange, but I got no answer so far ( about a month ago...) If interested in such a project, could you send me a private message ??? I 've been thinking of sending letters/drawings ( other ..?)about :
Introducing, describing oneself
What I like / don't like
Etc........:-)))
Maybe YOU will have great suggestions !!
I am looking forward to your answers, & wish you all a very nice week end!
Liette

OK...Let's face it : I just don't know if we can edit our messages...!! So, please, forgive me for using the forum again!
Just to tell you I already got 4 answers, & I thank you for it!! What a wonderful site, dear Peter!!
Have a super week end, dear English teachers from all over the world!

Hi there! Even though this seems a little late in the year, I would be interested in such an exchange. Like you, I teach in France and I have a class of 20 pupils who seem to love any new activity I bring. Let me know soon!

Hello!
As you've said ;-)) Maybe too late for THIS school year ?? ( We'll soon be into exams, & I'm afraid I won't find the time to start another exchange right now :-S ( I have found a nice exchange with a teacher from Turkey)
But I'd be really interested for next September, maybe ?
If - still ;-)) - interested, just let me know!
Have a great end of year!
Sylvie ( better leave a private message, as I do not log in every day...)

Hi everyone!
In France, the school year will soon be over - at least for kids ( end of June). We are all preparing for the next school year - starting in September.
I have started a nice exchange with a Turkish member here, but it was not a year-work correspondance..... I'm soooo glad French & Turkish kids can exchange! Thank you ever so much , Peter, for this!!!
Now, I'll of course ask my Turkish colleague if she wants to keep up with this exchange, but I need more countries to participate in the project : My aim is to make kids write letters to each other, & to accept different cultural differencies - from people all over the world.
I can have several exchanges - not a problem with me! - I intend to make my first years participate ( 11 years old - first years at Junior High school ) & have them send letters , dealing with : introducing, likes; my school; food in my country; my school; my town, etc.......) We could send you letters, postcards, posters, .......
Almost all of my kids have a PC at home, & an Internet connection, but I'd like a postal exchange - just to have them be as creative as they can!! OF course, I will send the foreign teacher mails- & photos!
This is a project for next September, sooooooooo, if ever interested, just let me know!! ;-))
BTW, my Turkish friend will be first, as she 's such a lovely & dedicated teacher!!! I thank her so much for the mails I got this year!
Soooo, I thought, I have 21 first-years this year, & maybe will have over 50 kids next September.......... How about writing to other countries - so far from us ???????
With all my love,
Sylvie

Congrats, Sylvie, to both of you! I'm glad to have contributed a bit toward connecting the two of you. What was your experience with "snail mail" projects? Could you keep up the children's motivation?

Also, do you think emailing, or video or text skype could be used for penpalling projects?

Bless up,
Peter

Hello Peter,
Well, this was possible thanks to YOUR wonderful site! ;-)) This year experience is too "new" to draw conclusions right now, but I can tell you my first years love it!! We're now expecting letters from Turquey, and next week we'll prepare a school magazine to send to our Turkish friends : so, instead of a ...'boring' class having the kids do tons of exercises about THere is/are or must/mustn't....etc, they are going to work on 'real' material for 'real' people to read it! We'll write about our school facilities, show different classrooms & sport equipment, write about the canteen & the food they have here, about the kids time-tables & the school rules.....Grammar has never been so much fun!
I do agree we could use emails and videos ; it's part of my project for next year, but I do keep in mind not all our English colleagues have PCs at school...Also - but surely because I'm not a tech expert ;-)) I do find mails - sometimes - less personal. Some of my children have sent really cute letters, including drawings or photos...
I have to prepare this project already because my Headmaster wants it to be part of our school curriculum - something like : Discover different people & cultures throughout the world. ( I'm already working on the video part of it...& I've got to learn too! :-)))
I will let you know - & I can tell you it's one of the best teaching experience I've had...
News to come ;-))
Sylvie

PS : Dear Lord, sorry for the spelling mistakes!!!!!! I was in a hurry! ( no time for lunch today ;-)) Hope friends from TurKey won't mind!!
( Are you - teachers - as tired as I am ?? ;- )
PS2 : I forgot to tell you ONE important thing , Peter : I teach in a small village, in the countryside, where people do not often see/ meet/ speak to ....... foreigners! Not Paris, Hey!! They do not travel abroad....
NOW, my kids would like to go to Turkey - & have made researches with their Humanities teacher about the country... See what I mean ? :-))
Take care - & Thank you for the hard work!!
PS3 ( OK, - as usual!! ) Please, people, help this site & contribute if you can - at least 5 euros.........THESE people are working for YOU. ( You can get ws for free ; you can meet colleagues from all over the world ; people here post links to help you with your English classes, ........) I understand some people cannot afford it, but ...........What's 5 ou 10 euros for many of you ????????
I forgot to wish Peter a Happy birthday - sorry Peter - Happy Birthday!!!!!!!! :-))))))) - but I did not forget to help the team with some money.They ARE teachers, & they're giving you their time & money, to keep this site growing. Would YOU do it ?
Sylvie

HI there from Turkey! I have approx 75 students aged 11. I would love to find penpals to them however I'm not sure If all will be interested. Please respond If you have Ss who are willing. Thanks!

I have been working on this web site to help teachers and students obtain a clearer understanding of what lerning the english language might help archive.There have be some very positive responses from countries like, Croatia,Romania,Israel Portugal,Slovenia,,Spain and France so far.
The time taken to produce a mural can be divided over a period of time and in lunch times too.You could use this project as a reward or insentive builder.
The idea portrays how important a universal language is and the importance of understanding.

I would like to invite you school to participate in the message of peace and friendship.


WHO MAY PARTICIPATE
Students ages 4-19 from grades Preschool,primary,Secondary
EXHIBITS
Murals will be exhibited at school who participate and would like to have an exhibition.
AWARDS
Approximately six murals will be selected to receive awards according to three categories:Preschool,primary, Secondary-school.
These murals will be featured on this Web site.Winning schools/groups will receive a small prize.
All groups will receive a certificate of appreciation for their participation.

DIMENSIONS AND MATERIALS
Use white or brown paper or light-weight canvas (please do not use
cardboard) measuring 20 inches wide and 60 inches long or 51 centimeters wide and 152 centimeters long. It is fine to attach two or three pieces to meet measurements.
Murals will be hung vertically like a flag with the length down so design accordingly.
Students may use crayons (press hard for rich color), oil pastels, markers,paints, and ink or collage elements such as photographs. Please be sure that all collage elements are firmly glued in place. Please do not use charcoal.Laminated murals are accepted.
Fill entire paper surface with color so no white or brown areas can be seen.
Students may include text in their artwork. When possible, please include English translations of text.
Teachers please photograph artwork in progress (optional).
SUBJECTS: CULTURE, COMMUNITY, FRIENDSHIP, PEACE
European Youth Murals illustrate studentsʼ unique cultures and communities or concepts they believe represent friendship or peace. Murals might included flags, landscapes,landmarks, notable citizens/leaders, festivals, holidays, holy days and native cuisine,
clothing or proverbs. Students might depicted their schools, homes or themselves.
Murals might represented friendships with pen pals in another country or subjects such as “It Takes a Village to
Raise a Child,” patriotic songs, or studentsʼ opinions about current events.There is no limit to studentsʼ imaginations!

Murals should arrive by April 2nd and may be submitted any time prior to this date. If you think your mural submission
will arrive after the deadline, please contact us.

BIOGRAPHY FORM
Groups must include a Biography Form with each mural. Please provide complete information; we will use it to contact award recipients. Be sure to include a statement describing each muralʼs subject or meaning.
MAILING DETAILS
The following items should be part of a mural submission. We suggest the use of sturdy mailing tubes or boxes to avoid damage to murals.The best way to post the murals would be within a Cylinder tube.

Mural(s)
Completed Biography Form(s)
Photographs of artwork in progress
Photographs are optional and appreciated.
Please allow time for murals to arrive by the deadline.
Send murals to
Teacher Nick
Escola Elisabeth
C. Miquel Martí I Pol, 1 43840 Salou, (Tarragona)Spain

Try the link below there you will find all the information you need about the project.If you still have problems please let me know.
We will issue a certificate of participation and there are some small money prizes to be won .


http://europeanyouthmurals.wordpress.com/about/

If you have any question feel free to mail me at europeanyouthmurals@hotmail.com




At the bottom of the page you will find some page headings in red writing click on them and they will take you to the new page heading.








Our school can be seen below







http://www.architonic.com/aisht/elisabeth-school-brullet-de-luna/5100925







If you have any question feel free to mail me at europeanyouthmurals@hotmail.com



Teacher Nick

C. Miquel Martí I Pol, 1 43840 Salou, (Tarragona)
Spain

Hey! Im an English teacher, as i suppose you are, I'd love to exchange some info and maybe get the pupils to write to each other. Please feel free to e-mail me if you're interested - alinaiftimie191@yahoo.co.uk

hey, I'm' also looking for pp . My kids are 10 -12 we are from primary school form Poland. My email is anna.samp@hotmail.com